NCSS takes on mental health stigma in Singapore with uncomfortable social experiment campaign

National Council of Social Service (NCSS) has unveiled a campaign to end the stigma around mental health at the Mental Health Festival organised by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore.

As part of the campaign 'Beyond the Label' conceptualised by McCann Worldgroup, a social experiment session was held which was moderated by two counselors who asked other people how comfortable they will be to date and employ people with mental illnesses.

However, all were of the opinion that people suffering from mental illness hurt others and are only good for menial jobs. Towards the end of the film it is revealed that both the counselors suffered from clinical depression themselves.

The campaign builds on the recent finding of the 2017 NCSS Study on on Attitudes towards Persons with Mental Health Conditions in Singapore, which emphasizes on ending the stigma and change the attitude and perception of people towards persons with mental health conditions.

Alfred Wee, creative director, McCann Worldgroup Singapore said: “What was first a task to generate greater conversations around this rarely talked-about issue in society has become something more for the agency and team working with NCSS; the movement has opened our minds and touched our hearts and we hope that the public will recognize the importance of their role to people recovering from their mental health conditions.”